Pix4Japan

Ai-no-Shuku Utsunoya in Shizuoka, Japan｜間の宿・宇津ノ谷・静岡県静岡市

The Utsunoya-tōge Pass (宇津ノ谷峠) is a mountain pass on the old Tōkaidō route in Shizuoka Prefecture, that connected eastern Japan with Kyoto, the imperial capital, and later became one of the most important travel routes of the Edo period (1603–1867).

At the foot of the pass lies the small hamlet of Utsunoya, also known as Ai-no-Shuku Utsunoya (間の宿・宇津ノ谷). An ai-no-shuku was an unofficial rest stop located between official post towns on the Tōkaidō route.

Location: Suruga Ward, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Pref.

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・14:12

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/8.0

Astia/Soft film simulation

Resting on the Old Tokaido・旧東海道でひと休み

Dale-chan gets tired more easily these days, especially when our walks involve climbing up and down old stone steps.

On this cold winter afternoon, she found a quiet place to rest at Ai-no-Shuku Utsunoya (間の宿・宇津ノ谷), a historic hamlet in Shizuoka Prefecture along the old Tokaido road.

I also made a short YouTube video from this photowalk around the hamlet: https://youtu.be/y70kKHGZxBc

Location: Suruga Ward, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Pref.

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・14:02

Loyal Companion “Dale-chan”・愛犬のデールちゃん

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/2.0

Latticed Door of Ohaori-ya House on the Old Tokaido Road・旧東海道｜間の宿・宇津ノ谷の御羽織屋の格子戸

Ohaori-ya House (御羽織屋) is one of several historic buildings in the small hamlet of Utsunoya (間の宿・宇津ノ谷), located at the foot of Utsunoya-tōge Pass in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Ohaori-ya House takes its name from a haori, a traditional jacket worn over a kimono, said to have been gifted to the owner by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a historically significant samurai and daimyō (feudal lord) of the middle ages. Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, is also said to have visited the house.

Today, the wooden façades, latticework, tiled roofs, and quiet stone-paved street still preserve the atmosphere of this former Tokaido Road hamlet.

Photo 1

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・13:53

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.8

Classic Negative film simulation

Photo 2

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・13:56

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/125 sec. at ƒ/8.0

Classic Negative film simulation

Kuruma-ya House on the Old Tokaido Road・旧東海道・宇津ノ谷の車屋

Kurumaya House (車屋) is one of several historic buildings in the small hamlet of Utsunoya, located at the foot of Utsunoya-tōge Pass in Shizuoka Prefecture.

The name “Kurumaya” reflects the transport-related businesses that once supported travelers and goods moving through this mountain pass on the old Tokaido route.

Today, the wooden façade, latticework, tiled roof, and quiet stone-paved street still preserve the atmosphere of this former Tokaido Road hamlet.

Read my full write-up (1-minute read) with sources for a deeper dive:

https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260104-utsunoya

Photo 1

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・13:49

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/500 sec. at ƒ/2.8

Classic Negative film simulation

Photo 2

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・13:50

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/8.0

Where Rengeji Still Lingers・蓮華寺の名残をたどる

A quiet corner of Rengeji-ike Park in Fujieda, where traces of the former Rengeji Temple remain in small local structures: Rengeji Inari Daimyojin Shrine, a traditional teahouse, and buildings with kawara-tiled roofs and wooden facades.

Not every piece of local history is marked by a grand monument. Sometimes it survives in modest places like this, tucked into the everyday scenery.

Full write-up (1-minute read) with sources: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260104-rengeji

Photo 1

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・10:29

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/1600 sec. at ƒ/2.8

Eterna/Cinema film simulation

Photo 2

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・10:30

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/1600 sec. at ƒ/2.8

Eterna/Cinema film simulation

Photo 3

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・10:31

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/1600 sec. at ƒ/2.8

A Quiet Japanese Garden at Rengeji-ike Park・蓮華寺池公園の小さな日本庭園

A small Japanese garden beside Rengeji-ike Pond in Fujieda offers a quiet mix of traditional details: a white-plastered wall capped with roof tiles, a simple wooden gate, carefully pruned garden pines, clipped shrubs, and a low grassy mound catching the winter light. It may not be as grand as the famous gardens of Kyoto or Tokyo, but that modest scale is part of its charm. Full write-up on the blog with a closer look at the garden’s history, tiled walls, and shaped pines.

Full write-up (1-minute read) with a closer look at the garden’s history, tiled walls, and shaped pines:

https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260104-garden

Photo 1

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:29

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/4000 sec. at ƒ/2

Classic Chrome film simulation

Photo 2

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:31

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/4000 sec. at ƒ/2

Local Symbols Around Rengeji-ike Park・足元に見つけた藤枝の物語

A weathered manhole cover and a small concrete signpost might seem easy to overlook, but both revealed little pieces of Fujieda’s local identity: wisteria, pine, Mt. Fuji, and the city’s connection to the name “Fuji-eda” itself.

I put together a short write-up on the local symbols I found while walking around Rengeji-ike Park.

Full write-up (1-minute read): https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260104-wisteria

Photo 1

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:29

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/4000 sec. at ƒ/2

Classic Chrome film simulation

Photo 2

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:31

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/4000 sec. at ƒ/2

Winter Color from a Purple Cloud Tree・紫雲木の冬の彩り｜蓮華寺池公園

The bright green and yellow foliage of these blue jacaranda trees at Rengeji-ike Park in Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, felt like a small preview of the warmer days still to come.

Blue jacaranda is called shiunboku (紫雲木) in Japanese, which literally means “purple cloud tree.” It is such a fitting name for a tree known for its violet-blue blossoms, and one more reason I would like to return to Fujieda when the jacaranda flowers are in bloom.

Photo 1 Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:28 Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter 23 mm ISO 160 for 1/4000 sec. at ƒ/2 Astia/Soft film simulation

Photo 2 Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:34 Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter 23 mm ISO 160 for 1/2000 sec. at ƒ/2 Astia/Soft film simulation

Dale-chan at Rengeji-ike Park, Shizuoka, Japan・休憩中の愛犬（蓮華寺池公園）

Dale-chan stayed up with me through the night as we drove to Satta-Toge Pass for an early morning Mt. Fuji photoshoot, then somehow still had enough energy left for a slow walk around Rengeji-ike Park (蓮華寺池公園).

She is getting older now, so short breaks like this have become a regular part of our walks. One small upside is that she is less tempted than before to get excited about the birds along the pond.

Thanks to her quiet patience, I was able to spend a little more time photographing the waterbirds featured in my previous posts.

Location: Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:20

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/4000 sec. at ƒ/2

Astia/Soft film simulation

Black-headed Gulls at Rengeji-ike Park, Shizuoka, Japan・蓮華寺池公園のユリカモメ

Despite the English name, the black-headed gull (ユリカモメ; Chroicocephalus ridibundus) only develops its dark chocolate-brown hood during the breeding season. In winter, the hood disappears, leaving a small dark mark behind the eye.

The gulls perched along the railing here mostly show bright red legs and bills, suggesting they are adults. Juveniles often have more orange tones, like the gulls in my Feb. 13, 2026 post: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260102-gull

Location: Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:16 Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter 23 mm ISO 160 for 1/4000 sec. at ƒ/2 Astia/Soft film simulation

Waterbirds at Rengeji-ike Park, Shizuoka, Japan・蓮華寺池公園のカワウとユリカモメ

A quiet moment at Rengeji-ike Pond with a great cormorant (カワウ; Phalacrocorax carbo)and several black-headed gulls (ユリカモメ; Chroicocephalus ridibundus) perched above the calm water.

After looking at the photo later, I realized I could have improved the composition by getting lower and moving a little farther to the right, giving each bird more breathing room in the frame.

That is one of the things I enjoy about slower, more spontaneous photography: every walk, every missed angle, and every small regret becomes something to remember for the next time.

Location: Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:03

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/2000 sec. at ƒ/2

Astia/Soft film simulation

Great Cormorants Drying Their Wings at Rengeji-ike Park 蓮華寺池公園で羽を乾かすカワウ｜静岡

I was overjoyed to come across two great cormorants perching on wooden posts above the calm waters of Rengeji-Ike Pond in Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on a warm and sunny winter morning. Living in the dense urban environment of Yokohama, encounters with waterfowl like these are rare for me, so the chance to quietly observe these birds up close was a memorable bonus during this photowalk.

Location: Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・09:02

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 1/2000 sec. at ƒ/2

Astia/Soft film simulation

Read my full write-up (1-minute read) with sources for a deeper dive:

Returning to Satta-Toge Pass for Blue Hour and My First Sunrise of the Year・青の刻と今年初めての朝日を求めて、薩埵峠へ再び

Join me on a quiet blue hour and sunrise photoshoot at Satta-Toge Pass (薩埵峠) in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

Reflections Along the Road to Suruga Bay 駿河湾へ続く道のリフレクション｜静岡・薩埵峠

Warm morning sunlight illuminates a winding coastal road reflected in a roadside mirror near Satta-Toge Pass overlooking Suruga Bay in Shizuoka, Japan.

Read the full story on my blog (1-minute read) with sources for a deeper dive: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260104-satta-toge

Location: Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・07:28

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 320 for 1/2700 sec. at ƒ/2

Mikan Sunrise at Satta-Toge Pass, Shizuoka・薩埵峠の朝焼けに染まるみかん｜静岡

Sometimes the quiet beauty of rural Japan hides the difficult realities behind it.

While photographing mikan orchards near Satta-Toge Pass in Shizuoka, I found myself reflecting on aging farming communities, family-run orchards, and my own dream of one day living closer to the land.

Read the full story on my blog (1-minute read) with sources for a deeper dive: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20260104-satta-toge

Location: Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・07:17

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2

Suruga Bay Sunrise at Satta-Toge Pass, Shizuoka・薩埵峠から望む駿河湾の朝焼け｜静岡

After capturing the soft, warm light washing over the eastern slopes of Mount Fuji, I turned my lens toward the Izu Peninsula across Suruga Bay. There, the rising sun crested the ridge of Mount Amagi (天城山), a range that runs the length of the peninsula roughly 50 km (31 miles) to the southeast fro Satta-Toge Pass.

Despite the midwinter chill, the golden light felt surprisingly warm on my skin, helped by the still, windless air.

Location: Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・07:07

Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP

53 mm ISO 100 for 1/100 sec. at ƒ/9

Returning to Satta-Toge Pass for Blue Hour and My First Sunrise of the Year・青の刻と今年初めての朝日を求めて、薩埵峠へ再び

I returned to Satta-Toge Pass in the early hours to finally capture the light trails I missed on my first visit, arriving well before dawn to watch them emerge beneath Mount Fuji. The reward of a winter visit was a snow-capped peak and crystal-clear air, but more than anything, I was simply glad to share the quiet, cold morning with my border collie as the first sunrise of the year unfolded.

光跡を撮るために再び薩埵峠を訪れ、澄んだ冬の空気の中、愛犬とともに今年初めての朝日を静かに見守りました。

Location: Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Timestamp: 2026/01/04・04:38

Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter

23 mm ISO 160 for 480 sec. at ƒ/14

Velvia/Vivid film simulation